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Biometric fingerprints – check!

Yesterday, among an ice storm and finding out I had strep throat (I’m better now and am thankful for easy access to antibiotics), we received our biometric fingerprint appointment! This is pretty exciting since it takes us one step closer to bringing Max home. Since most of you might be thinking “what in the world are biometric finger prints”, I’ll go ahead and explain where we are in the adoption process.

On February 14th, our I800a application was sent to the USCIS (United States Citizen and Immigration Services). Basically, the USCIS has to approve us before we can adopt internationally. We had to fill out more forms, provide proof we are US citizens and married, complete our home study, and send them a pretty big chunk of change 😉

Once they receive our application, the USCIS sends us an appointment to go and get our fingerprints taken. We actually had FBI fingerprints taken back in November for our home study. Silly me thought these were “the fingerprints” adoptive families talk about. Side note: IF you ever want to hire someone and aren’t sure about their background, hire someone who has adopted, I PROMISE you they have been fingerprinted, interviewed, and background checked multiple times. You will have nothing to worry about 😉

Today, we took our appointment notice to the local USCIS office in Durham and did a “walk in” to get our fingerprints taken. Our appointment was not scheduled until March 21st so we decided to walk in (advice from other adoptive families) and we were able to get them done in about 15 minutes! This will hopefully speed up our I800a approval and we can get that dossier sent to China!

A question we often get is “do you know yet when you’ll be able to bring Max home?” We still don’t know the exact date, but if we follow the typical timeline it will be sometime this Fall. A few months ago, I thought that we would already have our I800a approval by now and our dossier would be on its way to China. It’s frustrating that we aren’t on the timeline I had planned, but it’s a reminder to trust in God’s perfect timing.

So, that is where we are on this beautiful, sometimes frustrating, journey to bring Max home. We pray for him daily, look at the few pictures we have of him (that are probably almost a year old) and dream of the day that he is in our arms….oh how we love you already little Max!

So, since a blog post really isn’t all that much fun without pictures, here is what we have been up to the last few weeks…

Puppy sitting George!

Playing in the snow and making a snowman to look like Daddy

Celebrating Valentine’s Day

Grocery shopping

Taking “selfies” with the new phone!! (Yep we joined the 21st century and got our first smart phones!!)